Favorite weeds to feed - NAMES please

[Blkjkoknhrt]

I'm looking to collect some weeds and maybe buy some seeds from a catalogue, but would like to get some opinions on the "best" (edible, healthy, latin (if you have) and common names) to look for. The lists are overwhelming when trying to select 3 or 4 to propagate.

 

[lismar79]

Common name : Plantain
Latin name : Plantago spp.
Family name : Plantaginaceae



All species of plantain are good components of a healthy tortoise diet, and can be fed freely as part of a wide variety of plants. The flower stamens are creamy-white, giving plantain the appearance of having a white flower when in fact it is brown. Do not confuse with the fruit *plantain*, or *Water plantain* which are different plants.

 

[lismar79]

Common name : Chicory (Wild Chicory)
Latin name : Cichorium intybus
Family name : Asteraceae/Compositae

Wild Chicory is an attractive plant, and it is fine to feed to tortoises. Do not feed the roots, as they are too high in starch and sugars, but leaves and flowers have a good level of calcium as well as a low protein and phosphorous content, which makes them useful in the tortoise diet.

 

[Odin's Gma]

White clover- Trifolium repens
I don't know all the dietary info, but I know he beelined for it all summer.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Plantain and Mallow have been some favorites of mine.

 

[Blkjkoknhrt]

Thanks, gang! I lost my login for a while there, but I'm back and made some headway since January. My list doesn't include any of your suggestions, but we're still watching the snow disappear, so the garden shops will open soon...and the weeds will sprout! I managed to collect some dandelion and chickweed plants from Gabriola, BC, so have some lovely plants ready to sacrifice a leaf or two.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Escarole and Endive grow rapidly and cheaply.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks, gang! I lost my login for a while there, but I'm back and made some headway since January. My list doesn't include any of your suggestions, but we're still watching the snow disappear, so the garden shops will open soon...and the weeds will sprout! I managed to collect some dandelion and chickweed plants from Gabriola, BC, so have some lovely plants ready to sacrifice a leaf or two.

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That's quite a nice little edible garden you have there! You can add grape and mulberry leaves, rose of sharon, cat tail, fleabane, thistle, chickweed, yarrow, echinacea...

 

[Nicole210]

Do you have a certain place you order your seeds from??